System for transmitting electrical signals

ABSTRACT

A flexible and/or stretchable structural system for transmitting electrical signal between first and second rigid portions comprises a body structure and said first and second portions arranged to said body structure. The modulus of elasticity of said first portion is lower than the corresponding modulus of elasticity of said second portion. In addition the modulus of elasticity of said body structure is lower than the corresponding modulus of elasticity of said second portion. The system comprises also an interface portion, such as e.g. an electrically conducting fabric, textile or knit, which is arranged to said body structure and between said first and second portions. The interface portion electrically connects said first and second portions. The modulus of elasticity of said interface portion is lower than the corresponding modulus of elasticity of said second portion.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/647,084 filed Mar. 13, 2020, which claims priority to Finnish PatentApplication No. 20175818, filed Sep. 14, 2017, each of which isincorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the invention relate to a flexible and/or stretchablestructural system for transmitting electrical signals between differentends or portions, where the different ends or portions have differentmodulus of elasticity of the material, such as different flexibilityand/or stretchability, between a flexible and/or stretchable sensor orconductor and a rigid electric unit, such as a rigid printed circuitboard.

BACKGROUND

Flexible and stretchable devices having also rigid areas or componentsfor transmitting signals between two ends are known. Prior art FIG. 1shows a system 1 that has a flexible substrate 10, a printed wire 11 anda component 12. The component 12 is much more rigid than the flexiblesubstrate 10 and the printed wire 11, which causes a discontinuity point13 or points in the area between the component 12 and the flex substrate10. In particularly the printed wires 11 on the flex substrate 10 tendto break from discontinuity points 13, so in particularly at the pointswhere the wires are physically coupled with a rigid component 12. Oneespecially problematic place is between a rigid portion or componentisland(s) and electrically conducting trace(s), such as e.g., printedwires on a flex circuit board.

The printed wire or other conductor may be connected to a flexibleprinted circuit board by a rigid snap connection. The snap connection tothe flexible printed circuit board or to other flexible print trace orconductor is problematic, as the rigid snap tends to break the print.The snap needs to have high enough pressure in order to conduct thesignal from the traces or conductors, such as from the printed wires ortraces, to a rigid component, like a transmitter. This causes an areaaround the snap where the pressure changes from high to low and wherethe circuit board's ability to bend changes. Additionally, if the snapattaches slightly sideways to the print, the edge of the snap plate cancarve into the print either during attachment or later in use.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the invention alleviate and eliminate the problemsrelating to the known prior art. Embodiments of the invention provide asystem for transmitting electrical signals between different first andsecond ends or portions having different modulus of elasticity, such asdifferent flexibility and/or stretchability characteristics between asensor or conductor and an electric unit such as a rigid printed circuitso that the electrical connection between said different end portionscan be ensured even if the conductor will break at some point,especially near the rigid component.

The invention relates to a flexible and/or stretchable structural systemfor transmitting electrical signal between first and second portionsaccording to claim 1.

According to embodiments of the invention a flexible structural systemcomprises a body structure, where the first and second portions arearranged. The body structure comprises advantageously a flexible and/orstretchable substrate, such as textile or fabric, polymer, PET(polyethylene terephthalate) or polyimide material.

The first portion may be an electrically conductive trace or conductor,such as a printed trace or conductor or electrically conductive ink. Oneexample is a copper wire or etched copper trace, where the etched coppertrace is achieved by etching a suitable electrically connecting tracefrom a copper base material, like a copper sheet or film. The secondportion may be a printed circuit board (like an FR4 grade printedcircuity board (PCB), for example), an electrical component, aconnector, such as a snap connector (e.g. a snap fastener element) or arigid connector to the printed circuit board or other rigid electricalcomponent, for example.

According to embodiments of the invention the system comprises also aninterface portion arranged to the body structure and in the connectionwith the first and second portions. The interface portion is configuredto electrically connect the first and second portions to each other ornumber of first and second portions to each other. The interface portionis arranged between the first and second portions, such as, e.g., on topof one or both of them, or overlapping at least partially said first andsecond portions especially at an area around the second rigid portion,where the flexibility and/or stretchability and/or other modulus ofelasticity of the structure changes from low to high (or vice versa) dueto different modulus of elasticity of said first and second portions.Thus, even if the first portion, such as a conductor wire or trace, willbreak or the conductivity of which is compromised at the sensitive areanear the second portion, the electric contact can be ensured and securedby the interface portion between the first and second portions. Inaddition costs of production as well as technical challenges inmanufacturing process can also be kept low and easy by using theinterface portion. For example attaching of the components to the bodystructure is not so demanding, because the interface portion will ensureand secure the electric contact between the first and second portionseven if the first portion would not extend completely to the area of thesecond portion.

It is to be noted that the first and second portions may be physicallyseparated portions so that the first portion, like a printed conductor,is finished or ended on the body structure outside the rigid part areaof the second rigid portion, whereupon the interface portion is usedbetween the first and second portions as an electrically conductivebridge. However, there is no need to stop the first portion outside thesensitive rigid part area of the second portion, but the first andsecond portions can also be physically connected to each other. Forexample, the print conductor (as the first portion) can be continued allthe way to the rigid part area of the second portion or into theconnection with the second portion (even overlapping with the secondportion), especially when the interface portion, such as a conductivefabric, is laminated or the like on top of the conductive printconductor so that it overlaps the sensitive rigid part area of thesecond portion.

In embodiments of the invention the interface portion comprises anelectrically conductive fabric, woven or knit fabric, textile, carbonnanotubes or polymer. For example, the interface portion may include athermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) or silicone or silicone based material,or electrically conductive ink. Such a material may be very durable forbending and stretching. In embodiments of the invention the firstportion, such as printed conductor, can be made by printing a firstelectrically conductive ink upon the body structure, and the interfaceportion can be made by printing a second electrically conductive inkupon the body structure. The first and second conductive inks may havedifferent properties, especially different modulus of elasticity. Forexample the second ink may be more elastic, flexible and/or stretchablethan the first ink. In embodiments of the invention the first ink maytake the form of 5064H (made by DuPont), and the second ink may take theform of ECM C1-1036 or DuPont PE671 or PE873, for example.

The interface portion may be arranged in the connection of the first andsecond portions. As an example the interface portion can be laminated,glued, printed or molded, such as molded of a material that haselectrically conductive properties. According to an embodiment of theinvention the interface portion can be electrically coupled with thefirst and/or second portions by an adhesive, such as with non-conductiveadhesive (NCA) or conductive film or conductive adhesive, such as ananisotropic film (ACF), isotropic film (ICF) or isotropic adhesive(ICA)). When using NCA, the interface portion and/or first and/or secondportions may have a textured surface. Such a textured surface penetratesthought the non-conductive adhesive thereby enabling electric contactbetween the interface portion and the first and/or second portions.

The system may additionally comprise first and second cover portions.The first portion and the interface portion may be arranged between thefirst and second cover portions. Such a configuration may improvemechanically as well as electrically protecting the first portion andthe interface portion. The cover portions may comprise a fabricsubstrate and cover fabric, such as tricot or Lycra® and Gore-Tex® orcompression shirt fabric or polyester, respectively, for example.

The interface portion may be selectively conductive, such as comprisingembroidered conductive areas or conductive areas embroidered to thenon-conductive fabric or to the first and second cover portions of thesystem. For example a partly conductive fabric can be used, where theconductive fabric has plural conductive portions electrically separatedfrom each other. By this a plural of conductive interface portions canbe manufactured by once or at the same time due to plural of saidconductive portions.

In embodiments of the invention the interface portion can be arrangedbetween the first and second portions or on the top or over the portionsin order to overlap and extend the sensitive edge area around the secondrigid portion. Such a configuration may help ensure and secure theelectric conductivity between the first and second portions even if thefirst portion will break, because the electrically conductive interfaceportion will extend over the damaged first portion. According toembodiments of the invention the interface portion may be wider than thefirst portion in order to help ensure and secure the electricconductivity between the first and second portions.

According to embodiments of the invention the second portion may bepositioned between two or more first portions, whereupon the interfaceportion may be used between the two or more first portions andoverlapping the second portion. Such a configuration may be suitablewhere there is a seam or joint area as the rigid second portion and theinterface portion is used as an electrically conductive bridge over therigid second portion and between the two or more first portions, therebysecuring the electric connection between at least the two or more firstportions, for example.

In addition, it is to be noted that in embodiments of the invention:

-   -   the modulus of elasticity, such as related to flexibility and/or        stretchability of the first portion may be lower (being more        flexible or elastic) than the corresponding modulus of        elasticity of the second portion (more stiffer);    -   the modulus of elasticity, such as related to flexibility and/or        stretchability of the body structure may be lower (being more        flexible or elastic) than the corresponding modulus of        elasticity of the second portion (more stiffer); and/or    -   the modulus of elasticity, such as related to flexibility and/or        stretchability of the interface portion may be lower (being more        flexible and elastic) than the corresponding modulus of        elasticity of the second portion (more stiffer) or even lower        than the corresponding modulus of elasticity of the first        portion, which may further improve the electro-mechanical        durability of the interface portion.

The flexibility and stretchability relate to or can be measured e.g. bymodulus of elasticity of the material [measured, e.g., by N/m²]. A“greater modulus of elasticity” corresponds to greaterstiffness/rigidity, and is defined as an object's or substance'sresistance to being deformed elastically (i.e., non-permanently) when astress is applied to it (a stiffer material will have a higher modulusof elasticity).

Embodiments of the present invention may provide improved electricalcoupling and connection between a printed wire conductor and a rigidcomponent is achieved, even if the conductor will break at some point,especially at the sensitive area near or around the rigid component, asis discussed elsewhere in this document. In embodiments of the inventionThis may be achieved by the interface portion, which may be easy, fastand inexpensive to manufacture and integrate to product structure of forexample any wearable product, such as a clothing.

The exemplary embodiments presented in this text are not to beinterpreted to pose limitations to the applicability of the appendedclaims. The verb “to comprise” or “include” is used in this text as anopen limitation that does not exclude the existence of also unrecitedfeatures. The features recited in depending claims are mutually freelycombinable unless otherwise explicitly stated.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, will be best understood from the following description ofspecific example embodiments when read in connection with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Next the invention will be described in greater detail with reference toexemplary embodiments in accordance with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a prior art device;

FIGS. 2-3 illustrate principles of an exemplary system for transmittingelectrical signal between first and second portions according to anadvantageous embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary system for transmitting electricalsignal between first and second portions according to an advantageousembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary system for transmitting electricalsignal between two first portions and over a second portion according toan advantageous embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary system for transmitting electricalsignal between and over two or more first and second portions accordingto an advantageous embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a prior art device, and it is discussedin more details already in connection with the background portion above.

FIGS. 2-6 illustrate exemplary embodiments of a flexible structuralsystem 100 for transmitting electrical signals between first and secondportions 101, 102. In the illustrated embodiments system 100 comprises abody structure 103 to which the first portion 101 and second portion 102are arranged. For example, portions 101, 102 may be laminated to thebody structure 103 or even together, but also other methods can be used.The first portion 101 may take the form of an electrically conductiveprinted conductor 101, such as electrically conductive ink, such asDuPont 5064H. First portion 101 may take the form of a copper wire oretched copper trace. Such a trace may be formed by etching a suitableelectrically connecting trace from a copper base material, like a coppersheet or film. The second portion 102 may take the form of a rigidprinted circuit board (like grade FR4 PCB, for example), or other rigidcomponent, such as a snap connector (an example of which is depicted inmore details in FIG. 4).

The interface portion 104 may be arranged to the body structure 103 sothat it electrically connects the printed conductor 101 and the rigidcomponent 102. The interface portion 104 may be e.g. laminated to thebody structure but also other methods described in this document can beused. In FIG. 2 the printed conductor 101 does not extend to the rigidcomponent 102 but is finished outside the rigid component 102. In FIG. 2the interface portion 104 is arranged between the printed conductor 101and the rigid component 102 overlapping at least partially the printedconductor 101 and the rigid component 102, particularly at a sensitivearea 110 around the printed conductor 101 and the rigid component 102.In that point or area the flexibility and/or stretchability of thestructure changes from high to low in at least direction 111. This ismainly due to different modulus of elasticity of the printed conductor101 and the rigid component 102 or as well of the body structure 103 andthe rigid component 102. Reference 109 denotes a contact pad on therigid component 102 with which the interface portion 104 is coupled.

As can be seen in FIG. 3 the printed conductor 101 and the rigidcomponent 102 can also be physically connected to each other. In theexemplary embodiments depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3 the interface portion104 is electrically coupled with the printed conductor 101 and the rigidcomponent 102, and also to the body structure 103 by an adhesive 106,such as by an ACF film and conductive PSA tape, or electricallyconductive epoxy, for example. In the embodiments of FIGS. 2-3 theinterface portion 104 is wider than at least printed conductor 101 inorder to better ensure and secure the electric conductivity between theprinted conductor 101 and the rigid component 102, although alternativeconfigurations and relative widths may be used.

In certain embodiments the flexibility and/or stretchability of theprinted conductor 101 may be greater than the flexibility and/orstretchability of the rigid component 102. The flexibility and/orstretchability of the body structure 103 may be greater than theflexibility and/or stretchability of the rigid component 102. Theflexibility and/or stretchability of the interface portion 104 may begreater than the flexibility and/or stretchability of the rigidcomponent 102, or even greater than the flexibility and/orstretchability of the printed conductor 101. The flexibility and/orstretchability are here only examples of modulus of elasticities.

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary system 100 fortransmitting electrical signals between first and second portions 101,102 according to an embodiment of the invention. In the illustratedembodiment of FIG. 4, the first portion 101 may take the form of printedconductor 101, 105, or another type of conductor, such as a copper wireor the like. Second portion 102 may take the form of a snap connector102 or snap electrode 102A, 102B having a cap portion 102A and thecounterpart portion 102B (hereafter referred as a snap, which may bemade of a steel, and have a shape of circular plate with a protrusionportion, as is described in Figures, for example). Interface portion 104is shown as a circular portion 104, which has greater diameter than thesnap 102 and the end portion 101A of the printed conductor 101, 105 sothat the interface portion 104 still extends over the printed conductor101, 101A, 105 (as the first portion) and also over the snap 102, 120A,102B (as the second portion). Such a configuration may better ensureelectrical connection between the printed conductor 101, 101A, 105 andsnap 102. The circular interface portion 104 can also be other form,such as an oval or rectangle.

In certain embodiments of the invention portion 104 may nonethelessextend over the printed conductor 101, 101A, 105 and also over the snap102, 120A, 102B. Circular interface portion 104 may take the form of anelectrically conducting material, such as fabric or textile or knit orother material, like conductive polymer like TPU, for example. Portion104 can also be attached or coupled to the body structure 103 and inconnection with the printed conductor 101, 101A, 105 and snap 102, suchas by using lamination or gluing or mechanically punching or by usingother techniques described in this document.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4 the snap may be punched through the bodystructure 103 and the interface portion 104. In the embodiment of FIG.4, snap 102 is arranged in connection with the printed conductor 101,101A, 105.

The system 100 depicted in FIG. 4 comprises also first and second coverportions 107, 108 in order to mechanically as well as electricallyprotect the printed conductor 101, 101A, 105 and the interface portion104. Such a cover may also overlap and analogously protect portions 102Bof snap 102.

In embodiments of the invention portion 104 may take the form of a shorttrace of conductive knit. In such a configuration printed trace 101, 105can be moved away from the snap 102 and the electric contact is led bythe short trace of conductive knit. This may provide for more uniformbending and pressure on the printed traces 101, 105 as without the shorttrace of conductive knit as said interface portion 104, which mayprovide improved breaking resistance. Referring now to the sensitivearea 110 between the soft/elastic/stretchable body structure 103 and(more) rigid component 102 and transmitting signals with between therigid component 102 and the printed traces 101, 105. In the sensitivearea 110 the printed conductor 101, 105 will more easily break onstretch and bending than in other areas.

Interface portion 104 may take the form of an electrically conductive,flexible, beneficially stretchable, mechanically durable, typicallywoven or knit fabric, but could be non-woven as well, could beembroidered on fabric and potentially made of conductive polymer likeTPU or silicone. In addition portion 104 may be ink-like, such as anextra elastic layer printed on top of the first portion 101, such as forexample elastic ink printed on or at least substantially aligned withthe sensitive area 110. In certain embodiments the extra conductivelayer 104, such as conductive polymer, may be also overmolded on top ofthe first portion 101.

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a system 100 fortransmitting electrical signals between two first portions 101 arrangedon the body structure 103. In the embodiment of FIG. 5 second portion102 is positioned between the two first portions 101. In the embodimentdepicted in FIG. 5 the second portion 102 takes an exemplary form of aseam or joint area. The interface portion 104 is arranged to extend overthe more rigid seam or joint area 102, thereby better ensuring andsecuring electric connectivity between printed conductors 105 of thefirst portions 101 and over the second portion 102. For example the bodystructure 103 may be a piece of a clothing, for example, whereupon theseam or joint area 102 may be arranged in a piece of clothing wheredifferent movements will cause bending and stretching and thereby stressin the area around the seam or joint area 102, which may otherwise causefracture to or breakage of the conductors 105.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of a system 100 for transmittingelectrical signals between and over two or more first 101 and second 102portions arranged on the body structure 103. According to the embodimentof FIG. 6 interface portion 104 may be arranged between the first andsecond portions 101, 102 correspondingly as is depicted in FIGS. 2 and3, for example. In addition to this (or alternatively in additionalembodiment) the second portion 102 may be positioned between two or morefirst portions 101, whereupon the interface portion 104 is used betweenthe two or more first portions 101 and overlapping the second portion102. Such an interface portion 104 also electrically couples the secondportion 102 with the conductors 105 of the first portions 101 in theillustrated embodiment.

The invention has been explained above with reference to theaforementioned embodiments. The invention is not only restricted tothese embodiments, but comprises all possible embodiments within thespirit and scope of the inventive thought and the following patentclaims. For example snap connector 102 as described in FIG. 4 is only anon-limiting example and can be replaced by other rigid component(s)102, such as by way of non-limiting example only a transmitter,electrically conducting trace(s) and like printed wires.

In addition it is to be noted that it is beneficial in some embodimentthat the material of the interface portion and/or first and/or secondportions comprises some texture especially on the surface or thematerial structure is otherwise so that it comprises electricallyconductive fibres or yarns interlacing with each other. This kind ofstructure enables living and tiny moving of the electrically conductivefibres or yarns in the structure against each other, thereby making thestructure as durable as possible for bending, twisting and stretching,as well as ensuring good electrical contact and conductivity of thestructure. Furthermore the interlacing structure of the electricallyconductive fibres or yarns enables the electrically conductive fibres oryarns to penetrate e.g. thought adhesive thereby enabling electriccontact between the interface portion and/or first and/or secondportions.

The features recited in dependent claims are mutually freely combinableunless otherwise explicitly stated.

What is claimed is:
 1. A flexible or stretchable structural system fortransmitting electrical signals between a first portion and a secondportion, the system comprising: a body structure and the first portionand the second portion arranged to the body structure, wherein a modulusof elasticity of the first portion is lower than a corresponding modulusof elasticity of the second portion, and a modulus of elasticity of thebody structure is lower than a corresponding modulus of elasticity ofthe second portion, and an interface portion arranged to the bodystructure, the interface portion electrically connecting the firstportion and the second portion, and wherein a modulus of elasticity ofthe interface portion is lower than a corresponding modulus ofelasticity of said the portion.
 2. The system of claim 19, wherein themodulus of elasticity of the interface portion is lower than thecorresponding modulus of elasticity of the first portion.
 3. The systemof claim 19, wherein said modulus of elasticity relates to thestructure's resistance to being deformed elastically when a stress isapplied to the structure, wherein the stress is at least one offlexibility or stretchability.
 4. The system of claim 19, wherein thefirst portion comprises an electrically conductive trace, wherein theelectrically conductive trace is at least one of a printed trace, aprinted conductor, or an electrically conductive ink.
 5. The system ofclaim 19, wherein the second portion comprises a printed circuit board,an electrical component, and a connector for connecting to the printedcircuit board.
 6. The system of claim 19, wherein the interface portioncomprises at least one of an electrically conductive fabric, woven orknit fabric, textile, carbon nanotubes or polymer, Thermoplasticpolyurethane (TPU), silicone, or electrically conductive ink.
 7. Thesystem of claim 24, wherein the first portion comprises electricallyconductive first ink and the interface portion comprises electricallyconductive second ink, where the second ink is at least one of moreelastic, flexible, or stretchable than the first ink.
 8. The system ofclaim 19, wherein the body structure comprises a flexible substrate, theflexible substrate is at least one of textile, fabric, polymer,polyethylene terephthalate, or polyimide.
 9. The system of claim 19,wherein the first portion and the second portion are one of physicallyseparated portions or are physically connected to each other.
 10. Thesystem of claim 19, wherein the interface portion is arranged over thefirst portion and is connected by at least one of lamination, glue,printed, or molded.
 29. The system of claim 19, wherein the interfaceportion is wider than the first portion.
 11. The system of claim 19,wherein the interface portion is electrically coupled with at least oneof the first portion or the second portion an adhesive.
 12. The systemof claim 19, wherein the interface portion is selectively conductive,the interface portion further comprising at least one of embroideredconductive areas, conductive areas embroidered to the non-conductivefabric, conductive areas embroidered to a first cover portion, orconductive areas embroidered to a second cover portion.
 13. The systemof claim 19, further comprises a first cover portion and a second coverportion, wherein the first portion and the interface portion arearranged between the first cover portion and the second cover portion.14. The system of claim 19, wherein the second portion is one of a snapconnector or electrode punched through the body structure and theinterface portion and arranged in connection with the first portion, andwherein the interface portion is configured to extend over the firstportion.
 15. The system of claim 33, wherein the second portion ispunched through the interface portion.
 16. The system of claim 34,further comprising a first cover portion, a second cover portion, andthe second portion comprises a first snap connector portion and a secondsnap connector portion, wherein at least one of the first snap connectorportion or the second snap connector portion is punched through at leastone of the first cover portion or second cover portion in order toprovide an electrode of the first snap connector portion or a connectorstud of the second snap connector portion.
 17. The system of claim 19,wherein the second portion is a seam between the at least first portionand the second portion, and wherein the interface portion is arranged toelectrically couple the at least first portion and the second portionover the seam.